Automated shore power system

ABSTRACT

A shore power system includes a primary switchgear, a secondary switchgear, a dual output power transformer disposed in electrical communication between the primary switchgear and the secondary switchgear, a grounding switch section, and a vessel connector assembly. The shore power system further includes an automation and control system for automating and/or controlling the delivery of power to the vessel from a source of power, such as a medium voltage power source. In embodiments of the present disclosure, the medium voltage power source may be from the power grid or may be from a discrete power generation station.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of International ApplicationNo. PCT/US2010/031122, filed Apr. 14, 2010, which claims the benefit ofU.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/169,272, filed Apr. 14, 2009,all of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Due to health and environmental concerns, there is an increased effortto reduce the emissions from carbon based energy sources. One industryin which the reduction of emissions from carbon based energy sources issought is the marine industry. In the marine industry, one main type ofcarbon based energy source is the diesel-electric generator used tosupply power to large commercial vessels, such as cargo and cruiseships, for house loads (e.g., laundry and kitchen facilities, lighting,cabin amenities, HVAC, communication systems, etc.) This is especiallytrue when the commercial vessel is docked in port.

Therefore, there is a need in the marine industry to provide a cleanerpower alternative to the commercial vessel for powering these houseloads when docked in port.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This summary is not intended to identify key features ofthe claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid indetermining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, a shore powersystem for supplying power to a vessel is provided. The system includesa primary switchgear adapted to be connected to a source of power. Theprimary switchgear has one or more power characteristic measuringdevices. The system also includes a secondary switchgear having one ormore power characteristic measuring devices and a power transformerincluding a primary side having a power input and a secondary sidehaving first and second power outputs. The power transformer isconfigured to receive power from the primary switchgear at a selectedvoltage and output power to the secondary switchgear at first and secondvoltages that are lower than the selected voltage. The system furtherincludes a controlling device that is programmed for automating and/orcontrolling the delivery of power to the vessel from the source ofpower.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a methodfor automating the supply of power from a shore power system to avessel, comprising the steps of obtaining vessel characteristic data,receiving a vessel connection command to connect the shore power systemto the vessel, verifying connection parameters between the vessel andthe shore power system are complete, obtaining permission from thevessel to begin the supply of power; thereafter, supplying power to thevessel; and monitoring the supply of power to the vessel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of thisdisclosure will become more readily appreciated as the same becomebetter understood by reference to the following detailed description,when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one exemplary embodiment of a shore powersystem formed in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of one exemplary embodiment of a primaryswitchgear formed in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of one exemplary embodiment of a dualoutput power transformer formed in accordance with aspects of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of one exemplary embodiment of a secondaryswitchgear formed in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of one exemplary embodiment of a powerfactor correction section formed in accordance with aspects of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of one exemplary embodiment of a groundingswitch section formed in accordance with aspects of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of one exemplary embodiment of anautomation and control system formed in accordance with aspects of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of one exemplary embodiment of a connectionsession implemented by a vessel connection program module in accordancewith aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of one exemplary embodiment of a connectionverification subroutine implemented by the vessel connection programmodule in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of one exemplary embodiment of a vesseldisconnect subroutine implemented by the vessel connection programmodule in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described withreference to the drawings where like numerals correspond to likeelements. Embodiments of the present disclosure are generally directedto shore power systems suitable for providing power to large commercial(e.g., cruise, container, etc.) and military vessels when temporarilydocked at port. Embodiments of the present disclosure are furtherdirected to systems and methods for automating and controlling one ormore components of the shore power system in order to deliver power tothe vessel from a source of power (e.g., power grid, power generationplant, etc.). Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosurewill be described hereinafter with reference to cruise ships, it will beappreciated that aspects of the present disclosure have wideapplication, and therefore, may be suitable for use with many types ofcommercial vessels, such as cargo ships, oil tankers, etc., militaryvessels, etc. Accordingly, the following descriptions and illustrationsherein should be considered illustrative in nature, and thus, notlimiting the scope of the present disclosure, as claimed.

Prior to discussing the details of various aspects of the presentdisclosure, it should be understood that several sections of thefollowing description are presented largely in terms of logic andoperations that may be performed by conventional electronic components.These electronic components, which may be grouped in a single locationor distributed over a wide area, generally include processors, memory,storage devices, display devices, input devices (e.g., sensors, dataentry devices, etc.), etc. It will be appreciated by one skilled in theart that the logic described herein may be implemented in a variety ofconfigurations, including software, hardware, or combinations thereof.The hardware may include but is not limited to, analog circuitry,digital circuitry, processing units, application specific integratedcircuits (ASICs), and the like. In circumstances where the componentsare distributed, the components are accessible to each other viacommunication links.

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth inorder to provide a thorough understanding of exemplary embodiments ofthe present disclosure. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art,however, that many embodiments of the present disclosure may bepracticed without some or all of the specific details. In someinstances, well-known process steps have not been described in detail inorder not to unnecessarily obscure various aspects of the presentdisclosure. Further, it will be appreciated that embodiments of thepresent disclosure may employ any combination of features describedherein.

Turning now to FIG. 1, there is shown one exemplary embodiment of ashore power system, generally designated 20, formed in accordance withaspects of the present disclosure. Generally described, the shore powersystem 20 includes a primary switchgear 24, a secondary switchgear 26, adual output power transformer 28 disposed in electrical communicationbetween the primary switchgear 24 and the secondary switchgear 28, agrounding switch section 30, and a vessel connector assembly 32. Theshore power system 20 further includes an automation and control system36 for automating and/or controlling the delivery of power to the vesselV from a source of power, such as a medium voltage power source. Inembodiments of the present disclosure, the medium voltage power sourcemay be from the power grid or may be from a discrete power generationstation.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the components of the shore power system20 will now be described in more detail. As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,the shore power system 20 includes a primary switchgear 24 that connectsthe primary input of the power transformer 28 via a power line 38 to asource of medium voltage power, for example, power distributionequipment of a private or public utility company connected to the powergrid. Generally described, the primary switchgear 24 includes acombination of electrical disconnects, fuses and/or circuit breakersused to isolate electrical equipment. In use, the primary switchgear 24can be used to de-energize equipment, allow work/maintenance to beperformed, to clear faults downstream, etc. In the exemplary embodimentdescribed herein, the primary switchgear 24 is capable of handlingmedium voltages and operating under applicable standards, such as IEEEor ANSI (North America), IEC, etc.

In the embodiment shown, the primary switch gear 24 may include but isnot limited to an accessory and measurement power circuit 42, apotential transformer assembly 44, a current transformer assembly 46,and a primary circuit breaker 50. The primary switchgear 24 may includeother conventional components not shown but well known in the art.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the accessory and measurement power circuit 42receives power from the power line 38 at level L0 and supplies anappropriate voltage (e.g., 120V/240V) to accessories 60, such asheaters, sirens, speakers, lights, fans, battery chargers, powerreceptacles, etc., and measurement devices 64, such as temperaturesensors, gas sensors, tamper sensors, voltmeters, frequency meters, etc.In that regard, the power circuit 42 includes a fuse protected step downtransformer 66, which receives power from the power line 38, steps downthe voltage, and delivers the step down voltage to the accessories 60and measurement devices 64 through a protected, power distributioncenter 68, such as a fuse or circuit breaker panel. In one embodiment,the transformer 66 is a 15KVA transformer having a current ratio of400/5 A, and outputs a standard voltage supply line, such as a 120V,240V, etc. supply line. As will be described in more detail below, theaccessories 60 and the measurement devices 64 communicate with theautomation and control system 36 via appropriate communication protocolsknown in the art.

The potential transformer assembly 44 also receives power from the powerline 38 and conditions the power L0 from the power line 38 to supplysuitable working voltages (120 v, 240 v, etc.) to other equipment of theprimary switchgear 24. In that regard, the potential transformerassembly 44 includes a potential transformer 72, also know as a voltagetransformer that presents a negligible load to the power line 38 whileproviding a precise voltage ratio to accurately step down the mediumvoltages so that equipment, such as metering and protective relaydevices, can be operated at a lower potential. In one embodiment, thesecondary output of a potential transformer 72 is rated fromapproximately 60 to 240 volts to match the input ratings of protectionrelays, etc., as will be described in more detail below. The potentialtransformer assembly 44 also includes a shorting test block 74, a testswitch 76, metering devices 78 (e.g., voltmeter, frequency meter, etc.),etc. suitably interconnected in electrical communication as know in theart. As will be described in more detail below, components of thepotential transformer assembly 44 communicate with the automation andcontrol system 36 via appropriate communication protocols known in theart.

Downstream of the potential transformer assembly 44, the power line 38is electrically connected to the input side of the primary circuitbreaker 50. In use, the primary circuit breaker 50 is capable ofinterrupting fault currents of many hundreds or thousands of amps fromdownstream power equipment. The primary circuit breaker 80 may be of anoil type, a gas (e.g., SF6) type, an air type, or a vacuum type. In oneembodiment, the primary switchgear 24 utilizes a primary circuit breakerof the vacuum type, which provides many benefits, including minimalarcing, large power handling (e.g., up to 35,000 volts), quick responsetime (e.g., between 30 mS and 150 mS), etc. In the embodiment shown, theprimary circuit breaker 50 includes a motor 82 for opening and closingthe circuit breaker. In one embodiment, the primary circuit breaker 50is rated at 1200 amps, 27,000 volts, with 25,000 amps interruptingcapacity.

Opening and closing of the primary circuit breaker 50 via the motor 82may be controlled by a controlling circuit 90. In that regard, theopening and closing of the circuit breaker 50 may be under the directionof a systems operator via the control and automation system 36, may bean automatic response by the automation and control system 36 uponexecution of the program module 318 (See FIG. 7), may be an automaticresponse to an operating condition, such as a fault, etc. Thecontrolling circuit 90 provides one or more protective functions, whichmay include but is not limited to the following: overcurrent,undervoltage, directional power, and overvoltage. These, for example,may be carried out under any appropriate standards, such as ANSIstandards 50/51 (overcurrent), 27 (undervoltage), 32 (direction power),and 59 (overvoltage). Operating power for the controlling circuit 90 maybe supplied by the accessory and measurement power circuit 40, thepotential transformer assembly 44, or a self contained power supply,such as a battery bank. In one embodiment, the controlling circuit 90 ispowered by a battery bank 92, which receives recharging power from abattery charger associated with the accessory and measurement powercircuit 42.

In the embodiment shown, the controlling circuit 90 includes one or morecontrollable, protective relays 96 for protection against operatingconditions, such as overcurrent, undervoltage, directional powerproblems, and overvoltage. In that regard, the relay 96 measures thecharacteristics of the power L0 carried over power line 38, analyzes themeasurements, and generates a trip signal to be transmitted to the motor82 when it determines a fault condition. The relay may also be employedfor transmitting open and close signals to the motor in response tosuitable control signals received from the control and automation system36. In one embodiment, the relay 96 can receive power for operating fromthe potential transformer assembly 44. One such relay 96 that may beemployed in embodiments of the present disclosure is commerciallyavailable from Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc., such as SELModel No. 351. As will be described in more detail below, thecontrolling circuit 90 is configured to communicate with the automationand control system 36 for receiving control signals from the system 36and transmitting signals, such as measurement data (e.g., volts, amps,etc.), circuit breaker open or close condition data, etc., to the system36.

Downstream of the primary circuit breaker 50, the power line 38 iselectrically connected to the current transformer assembly 46. Thecurrent transformer assembly 46 in one embodiment may include, forexample, a current transformer 100, a shorting test block (STB) 102, atest switch (TS) 104, and one or more metering devices 106, such as anammeter. In operation, the current transformer assembly 46 facilitatessafe measurement of large currents from the power line 38 by isolatingmeasurement and control circuitry, such as the relay 96, from the highvoltages of the power line 38. In one embodiment, the currenttransformer 100 has a 400:5 current windings ratio (i.e., a 4000:5 CTwould provide an output current of 5 amperes when the primary waspassing 4000 amperes). As will be described in more detail below,components of the potential transformer assembly 46 communicate with theautomation and control system 36 via appropriate communication protocolsknown in the art.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the power line 38 of the primaryswitchgear 24 is electrically connected to the primary input 120 of thedual output power transformer 28. The dual output power transformer 28receives three phase power from the primary switch gear 24 at powerlevel L0, e.g., 26,000 volts, and outputs power to first and secondsecondary outputs 122 and 124 at high and low power levels L1 and L2,e.g., 11,000 volts and 6,600 volts, respectively, and a single neutraloutput 130. The transformer 28 is of a delta-wye configuration forconverting a single three phase power L0 into dual three phase power L1and L2 and a single neutral NO. The power L1 and L2 is transmitted overpower lines 126 and 128. In one embodiment, the dual power lines 126 and128 provide power up to a 20MVA power consumption level.

In one embodiment, the power line 38 of the primary switchgear 24 iselectrically connected to the primary input 120 of the dual output powertransformer 28 via a load tap changer (LTC) 110. The LTC 110 may includea plurality of selectable tap positions (e.g., 2-32 or more). The LTC110 may be configured as an automatic LTC having a controller 112 thatcontrols the tap position of the LTC. The controller 112 may receivesignals indicative of secondary output power from the secondaryswitchgear metering device, described below, or from control signalsfrom the automation and control system 36. In one embodiment, the LTC,by changing the tap position between the plurality of tap positions, iscapable of adjusting the voltage output of the high and low power levelsL1 and L2, e.g., 11,000 volts and 6,600 volts, between 10,000 volts and12,500 volts and 6,000 volts and 7,500 volts, respectively.

As will be described in more detail below, the automation and controlsystem 36 in conjunction with the LTC 110 can adjust the primary inputL0 according to the particular vessel V to which the system 20 issupplying power. For example, a large majority of cruise ships operateeither on 6.6 kV or 11 kV. However, some cruise ships operate outside ofthese parameters, for example, at 6.8 kV. In this case, from informationreceived from the vessel or from data associated with the vessel andstored in a look-up table, the automation and control system 36 cancontrol the LTC 110 to adjust the voltage output L1 and/or L2 regardlessof the power input L0 to match the power system characteristics of thevessel, and will maintain a consistent secondary voltage throughout thesupply of power to the vessel.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the shore power system 20 furtherincludes a secondary switchgear 26 that connects the dual power lines126 and 128 and a neutral line 132 of the dual output power transformer28 to the grounding switch section 30. In the embodiment shown, thesecondary switch gear 26 includes first and second power deliverysections composed of power components for each transformer power output122 and 124. The first section, referred to as the high power (e.g., 11kV) section, is connected to power line 126 and may include but is notlimited to a current transformer assembly 142A, a potential transformerassembly 146A, and a secondary circuit breaker 150A. The second section,referred to as the low power (e.g., 6.6 kV) section, is connected to thepower line 128 and may include but is not limited to a currenttransformer assembly 142B, a potential transformer assembly 146B, and asecondary circuit breaker 150B. The secondary circuit breakers 150A and150B include motors 182A and 182B, respectively, for opening and closingthe circuit breakers. Opening and closing of the secondary circuitbreakers 150A and 150B via the respective motors 182A and 182B may becontrolled by controlling circuits 190A and 190B. In one embodiment, thecontrolling circuits 190A and 190B include protective relays 196, whichcommunicate with the automation and control system 36.

It will be appreciated that the first and second sections can beconfigured and arranged substantially similar to the correspondingcomponents of the primary switchgear, and thus, will not be described indetail here. Downstream of the first and second sections, the powerlines 126 and 128 are bussed together at secondary buss connector 168.As will be described in more detail below, components of the secondaryswitchgear 26 communicate with the automation and control system 36 viaappropriate communication protocols known in the art.

Turning now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the switchgear 26 may further include aneutral grounding resistor section 148 and/or a power factor correctionsection 152. As shown in FIG. 4, the neutral grounding resistor section148 comprises a plurality of neutral resistors 156 arranged, forexample, in a ladder configuration, and selectively connected to theneutral line 132 via a series of controllable switches 158, such asvacuum switches. In use, from information received from the vessel orfrom data associated with the vessel and stored in a look-up table, theautomation and control system 36 selects, via the series of controllableswitches 158, the appropriate neutral resistor or resistors from theplurality of resistors 156 in order to substantially match the neutralresistance value of the particular vessel's electrical system.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the power factor correction section 152is connected in an appropriate manner to the power line 124 at node 166and is grounded at 170. The power factor correction section 152 isprotected via a power factor correction section circuit breaker 168. Thecircuit breaker 168 may be controlled by a controlling circuit 190C. Inone embodiment, the controlling circuit 190C is arranged and configuredsubstantially similar to controlling circuit 90 of the primaryswitchgear. The controlling circuit 190C may be powered by the potentialtransformer assembly 144A of the secondary switchgear and may measurethe current of line 126 via the current transformer assembly 146C.

As best shown in FIG. 5, the power factor correction section 152 is acircuit that includes one or more sets of series connectedcapacitor-reactor pairs. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the powerfactor correction section 152 includes first and second stages 184 and186. The first stage 184 includes a capacitor 192 and a reactor 194connected in series with the circuit breaker 168 through a controllablevacuum switch 188A. The reactor 194 is tuned by a harmonic tuningcircuit 198. In one embodiment, the capacitor/reactor pair is chosen toprovide approximately 1480 KVARs of reactive power. The second stage 186includes a capacitor/reactor group connected in series with the circuitbreaker 168 through a controllable vacuum switch 188B. The reactor 194is tuned by a harmonic tuning circuit 198. In the embodiment of FIG. 5,the second stage includes at least two (2) capacitors 192 connected inparallel. In one embodiment, the capacitors/reactor pair is chosen toprovide approximately 2960 KVARs of reactive power. In use, the system36 monitors the real power from the appropriate metering devices of theprimary switchgear 24 and the reactive power from the power line 220(see FIG. 6) outputted from the grounding switch section 30 in order tocalculate the power factor of the power delivered to the vessel by theshore power system 20. During this continuous monitoring, the system 36is capable of selectively opening/closing the switches 188A and/or 188Bto maintain an acceptable power factor (e.g., >0.9) for the delivery ofpower to the vessel V.

Turning now to FIG. 6, the grounding switch section 30 of the system 20will be described in more detail. As best shown in FIG. 6, the groundingswitch section 300 includes a power connect switch 206, also referred toas the feeder switch, and a ground switch 210. The power connect switch206 is electrically connected to the secondary bus connector 168, whichcarries power L1 or L2 depending on the state (i.e., open or closed) ofthe associated circuit breakers 150A and 150B. In one embodiment, thepower connect switch 206 is a non-loadbreak disconnect switch rated, forexample, at 2000 amps. The operational state (i.e., open or closed) ofthe power connect switch 206 is controlled by the automation and controlsystem 36, and may be monitored by appropriate sensors, contactswitches, etc.

Downstream of the power connect switch 206, the power line branches atnode 218, in which a first branch 220 is electrically connected to thepower section 226 of the vessel connection system 32 and a second branch222 is connected to the input side of the ground switch 210. Connectedto the first branch or power line 220 is a reactive power determinationsection 230. In one embodiment, the section 230 may include powertransformers, current transformers, metering devices 234, including awattmeter, voltmeter and an ammeter, etc., suitable arranged formeasuring the reactive power of the vessel V. The reactive powerdetermination section 230 communicates with the automation and controlsystem 36 via appropriate communication protocols known in the art.

Similar to the power connect switch 206, downstream of the neutralresistor section 148, the neutral line branches at node 232, in which afirst branch 238 is electrically connected to the neutral section 242 ofthe vessel connection system 32 and a second branch 240 is connected tothe input side of the ground switch 210. As best shown in FIG. 6, theoutput side of the ground switch 210 is grounded at 248. It will beappreciated that the appropriate sensors, such as ground switch sensors250, ground check monitoring circuits, etc., may be associated withground 248 for determining whether the ground switch 210 is properlyconnected to ground. The operational state (i.e., open or closed) of theground switch 210 is controlled by the control and automation system 36,and may be monitored by appropriate sensors, such as ground switchsensors 250, contact switches, etc. In use, the ground switch 210, undercontrol of the control and automation system 36, may be positioned inthe “closed” position, thereby taking the power line and the neutralline to ground.

Still referring to FIG. 6, the shore power system 20 further includes avessel connection assembly 32 that interfaces with the vessel V for thedelivery of power thereto and the exchange of control signals therewith.As best shown in FIG. 6, the vessel connection assembly 32 includes apower section 226 that comprises one or more power line cable/connectorpairs, a neutral section 242 that comprises a neutral linecable/connector pair, and a control section 252 that comprises controlline cable/connector pairs, etc. that cooperate with appropriatelyconfigured connectors on the vessel. Each connector includes a contactor continuity sensor 240 that outputs data to the control and automationsystem 36 for indicating whether the connectors are properly connectedto the vessel V.

As described briefly above, the primary switchgear 24, the secondaryswitchgear 26, and the grounding switch section 30 are controlled by theautomation and control system 36. One embodiment of the automation andcontrol system 36 is illustrated as a block diagram in FIG. 7. Althoughnot required, aspects of the present disclosure may be described in thegeneral context of computer-executable instructions, such as programmodules, being executed by a personal computer or computing device andstored, for example, on computer readable media, as will be describedbelow. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects,components, data structures, etc., that perform particular tasks orimplement particular abstract data types.

The automation and control system 36 includes a computing device 302having a processor 304, a memory 306, and I/O circuitry 308 suitablyinterconnected via one or more buses 312. The system memory 306 mayinclude read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and storagememory. The storage memory may include hard disk drives for reading fromand writing to a hard disk, a magnetic disk drive for reading from orwriting to a removable magnetic disk, and an optical disk drive forreading from or writing to a removable optical disk, such as a CD, DVD,or other optical media. The storage memory and their associatedcomputer-readable media provide non-volatile storage of computerreadable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other datafor the computing device 302. Other types of computer readable mediawhich can store data that is accessible by a computer, such as magneticcassettes, flash memory cards, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, and the like, may alsobe used in the exemplary computing system.

The memory 306 stores an operating system 316 for controlling theoperation of the computing device 302. In one embodiment of thedisclosure, the operating system 316 provides a graphical operatingenvironment, such as Microsoft Corporation's WINDOWS®, LINUX or Apple'sLeopard graphical operating system in which activated applications,programs, or modules are represented as one or more graphicalapplication windows with an interface visible to the user, such as agraphical user interface (GUI). The memory 306 also stores a number ofprogram modules, such as a vessel connection program module 318, andprogram data 320, such as vessel power characteristic data for eachvessel, historical alarm data, sensor data, etc.

As shown in FIG. 7, the computing device 302 includes a networkinterface 324 comprising one or more components for communicating withother devices, e.g., cell phones, PDA's, laptop computer, networkterminals, general purpose computing device, desktop computer, etc. overa wired and/or wireless network, such as a local area network (LAN) or awide area network (WAN), such as the internet. As known to those skilledin the art and others, the computing devices illustrated in FIG. 7 maybe configured to exchange files, commands, and other types of data overone or more networks. However, since protocols for networkcommunication, such as TCP/IP, are well known to those skilled in theart, those protocols will not be described here. Additionally oralternatively, the computing device may be equipped with a modem (notshown) for connecting to the Internet through a point to point protocol(“PPP”) connection or a SLIP connection as known to those skilled in theart. For accessing the internet, the memory 306 may further include aweb browser 326, such as Netscape's NAVIGATOR®, Microsoft's InternetExplorer, Mozilla's FireFox, etc.

The computing device 302 also includes an output device in the form of agraphical display 328 and several input devices 330, such as a keyboard,touch pad, microphone, a pointing device, or the like, for inputtingdata into the computing device 302, such as responding to requests fromexecution of the vessel connection module 318. The display 328 and theuser input devices 330 are suitably connected through appropriateinterfaces, such as serial ports, parallel ports or a universal serialbus (USB) of the I/O circuitry. As would be generally understood, otherperipherals may also be connected to the processor in a similar manner.

Input/Output circuitry 308 or other device level circuitry of thecomputing device 302 is connected in electrical communication withcomponents of the primary switchgear 24, the secondary switchgear 26,the grounding switch section 30, and the vessel connection assembly 32.In particular, data generating devices, such as accessories 60,measurement devices 64, metering devices 78 and 106, etc., of theprimary switchgear 24 communicate with the computing device 302 via oneor more protocols known in the art. Similarly, as best shown in FIG. 7,data generating devices of the secondary switchgear 26, grounding switchsection 30 and vessel connection section 32 communicate with thecomputing device 302 via one or more protocols known in the art. TheInput/Output circuitry 308 is further connected in electricalcommunication with controllable switches, relays, etc. of the variouscomponents of the system 20. In use, the Input/Output circuitry 308 orother device level circuitry is capable of receiving, processing, andtransmitting appropriate signals between the processor and these variouscomponents.

The vessel connection module 318, when executed by the computing device,presents a graphical user interface to the operator, and in oneembodiment, opens within a web browser environment. The vesselconnection module 318 is capable of graphically displaying informationto and requesting data from the operator, analyzing data received fromthe components, and generating control signals to be transmitted to thecomponents of the system 20 through the I/O circuitry 308. The vesselconnection module 318 further accesses stored data, such as vesselcharacteristic data.

Turning now to FIG. 8, there is shown a flow diagram of one exemplaryvessel connection routine 800 executed by the vessel connection module318. The routine 800 checks whether the shore power system 20 is readyto connect to the vessel and vice versa, coordinates the connectionbetween the system 20 and vessel V, monitors the connection session, anddisconnects the vessel from the system 20 upon certain conditions.Before the vessel connection routine 800 can be initiated, a vessel,such as a cruise ship, is docked in port, and has requested the use ofthe shore power system 20. Once the vessel V is in port and is ready tobe connected to the shore power system 20, the shore power systemoperator logs into the computing device 302, and upon execution of thevessel connection module 318, is presented graphically with a newconnection session.

One exemplary session will now be described with reference to routine800. Routine 800 begins at block 802 and proceeds to block 804, wheredata is obtained by the computing system 200 to be utilized by theprogram module 118. The obtained data includes but is not limited to oneor more of the following: tide data, weather data, historical alarmdata, vessel schedule data, and utility company power supply data. Theobtained data may be presented to the operator on the display 328 viathe GUI or a link may be provided, that when selected or “clicked” byone of the input devices 330, such as a computer mouse, directs theoperator to a new window that displays the requested data.

Once the data is obtained at block 804, including the vessel scheduledata, the routine 800, at block 806, determines whether a vessel hasbeen selected for subsequent connection. For example, the operator viaone or more of input devices 330 either self initiates the selection ofthe specific vessel that is currently in port or selects a vessel inresponse to a request by the routine 800. The vessel V may be selected,for example, from a stored historical menu of past connections, selectedfrom a menu of all known vessels currently operating in the specificregion of the port, or may be selected by inputting a code or vesselname via keyboard input. If the answer at block 806 is “yes,” theroutine 800 proceeds to block 808, where the vessel characteristics,such as operating voltage, resistive load data, neutral resistor value,etc., breaker coordination data, etc. of the selected vessel is obtainedfrom memory 306, an associated server via the network interface 324,etc.

Once the data is obtained at block 808, the routine 800, at block 810,determines whether the operator has initiated the vessel connectionsequence for connecting the shore power system 20 to the vessel V. Forexample, the operator may initiate a connection with the selected vesselby selecting, clicking, etc. on the appropriate icon or the like that isgraphically presented by the program module 318. If the answer at block810 is “yes,” the routine 800 proceeds to block 812, where a connectionverification subroutine (see FIG. 9) is performed by the program module318. As will be described in more detail below, the connectionverification subroutine executes systems checks on several components ofthe system 20, and verifies that it is safe for one or more techniciansto, for example, connect the power cables of the vessel connectionassembly 32 to the vessel V. If any of the checks are not satisfied, thesystem 36 is locked out until such checks are satisfied.

Turning now to FIG. 9, there is shown one connection verificationsubroutine 900 implemented by the program module 318. The subroutinebegins at block 902, and proceeds to block 904. At block 904, thesubroutine determines whether the grounding switch section 30 isproperly grounded. For example, a sensor, grounding monitoring circuit,or other electrical device is provided that is capable of determining ifthe ground switch 210 is properly grounded and reporting the conditionof the ground switch to the automation and control system 36. If theanswer at block 904 is “yes,” the subroutine 900 proceeds to block 906,where the subroutine 900 determines whether the ground switch 210 isclosed. For example, ground switch sensors, contact switches, etc., maybe employed to signal the operating position (open or closed) of theground switch 210. If the answer is “no,” the subroutine 900 proceeds toblock 908, where the computing device 302 signals the ground switch 210to close, and then returns to block 906. This repeats until the answerat block 906 is “yes.” When the answer is “yes” at block 906, thesubroutine 900 proceeds to block 910.

Next, at block 910, the subroutine determines whether the cableconnectors of the vessel connection assembly 32 are properly connectedat the vessel interface. For example, continuity sensors 240 associatedwith the cable connectors may be employed to output a signal indicativeof proper contact with the vessel interface. If the answer is “no,” thesubroutine 900 may notify the operator that the cable connectors are notproperly connected. The subroutine repeats block 910 until the answer atblock 910 is “yes.” When the answer is “yes” at block 910, thesubroutine proceeds to block 912.

At block 912, the program module 318 sends control signals to the groundswitch 210 to open, and then verifies, via the appropriate sensors,contact switches, etc., that the operational condition of the groundswitch is open. Next, the program module 310 sends control signals tothe power connect switch 206 to close, and then verifies, via theappropriate sensors, contact switches, etc., that the operationalcondition of the power connect switch 206 is closed. The subroutine 900then proceeds to block 916 where the subroutine ends.

Upon successful completion of the connection verification subroutine,the routine 800 notifies the operator via display 328, and as a result,the operator can instruct other personnel to manually rack-in theappropriate circuit breaker(s). For example, if the informationassociated with the vessel obtained at block 808 indicates that thepower line supplying power L2 is required, then the circuit breaker 150Bis racked-in. It may also be necessary to rack-in the circuit breaker 50of the primary switchgear 24. During this time, at block 814, theroutine 800 awaits confirmation that the appropriate circuit breakersare racked-in. Such confirmation can come from appropriate sensorsassociated with the circuit breakers 50, 150A, 150B, that generatesignals indicating that the specified circuit breaker is appropriatelyracked-in. In one embodiment, these sensors may be associated with therelays 90, 190A, 190B, etc.

Next, at block 816, the routine 800 waits to receive a signal from thevessel granting permission to close the specified circuit breaker. Oncepermission is received, the routine 800 proceeds to block 818, where acommand to close the specified circuit breaker 150B is displayed,prompting the operator for input. Alternatively, the routine 800 mayautonomously signal the motor 182B associated with the secondary circuitbreaker 150B to be closed. This may be instantaneous or within apredetermined time period (e.g., five (5) minutes) upon reception of thepermission signal. In either case, the program module 318 generates andtransmits device appropriate breaker close signals to the relay 196B forclosing the circuit breaker 150B via motor 182B.

Once the circuit breaker 150B is closed, whereby the system 36 receivesverification via sensors, etc., the system 20 begins supplying power tothe vessel V. Next, the routine 800, at block 822 begins to log theconnection as a new session and begins to monitor the connection of thesystem 30 to the vessel V. With this monitoring, the routing 800 choosesthe appropriate neutral resistors via the switches 158 in view of thereceived neutral resistor value and supplies power to the power factorcorrection section 152 by closing power factor circuit breaker 168. Theroutine 800 also chooses the appropriate tap position of the LTC 110 viathe LTC controller 112 according to the received operating voltage ofthe vessel. For example, if the received operating voltage for thevessel is 6.8 kV, the routine 800 selects the secondary output 122 or124 (and power L1 or L2) closest to the vessel operating voltage (e.g.,6.6 kV) at block 814, and selects the tap position from the plurality oftap positions of the LTC 110 that corresponds with an output power L2 of6.8 kV. The system 36 then continues to monitor the secondary outputvoltage and the power factor of the system, correcting when necessaryvia the LTC 110 and the control of the switches 188A and/or 188B,respectively.

During the connection session, the system 36 also monitors alarmconditions of the system 20, such as high operating temperatures, lowpressure levels in the breakers, tampering of components by unauthorizedpersonnel, etc. If it is determined an alarm condition exists, theroutine 800 sends an alert signal to the appropriated party. The alertsignal could be an automatic page, a telephone or cellular phone call,an e-mail, or other means for notifying an operator, technician, etc.,that is either local or remote from the system 20. It may also includean audible signal, such as a horn or buzzer, a visible signal, such as aflashing red light, etc. Further, the alert signal could shut down thesystem 20 until operator or technician input is obtained. It may alsocause the operator to manually check the equipment. Alert signals may bepresented to the operator via the GUI on display 328. Other data may bedisplayed to the operator during the connection, such as thecharacteristics of the power being supply to the vessel V, unbalancedconditions, reactive power, etc. Session data monitored by the system 36may be stored in memory 306 for future reference.

The routine 800 continues to monitor the connection until connectionpermission is revoked by the vessel V. If such a signal is received, theroutine 800 proceeds to block 826, where a vessel disconnect subroutineis initiated by the program module 318. Once the vessel disconnectroutine is finished, the routine 800 proceeds to block 828, wherein theroutine is terminated.

Turning now to FIG. 10, there is shown one vessel disconnect subroutine1000 implemented by the program module 318. The subroutine 1000 beginsat block 1010 and proceeds to block 1020 where the program moduledisconnects the power factor correction section 152 by opening the powerfactor circuit breaker 168 and/or the switches 188A and 188B. Once thesubroutine 1000 determines at block 1025 that the power factor (PF)circuit breaker 168 is open by receiving and processing signals from theappropriate sensors, contact switches, etc., the subroutine 1000proceeds to block 1030, where the program module 318 signals thesecondary circuit breaker 150B to open. The subroutine 1000 thenproceeds to block 1035 until the circuit breaker open condition isverified. Next, at block 1040, the program module 310 logs thedisconnected session and sends a session report contained varioussession data that was stored in memory 306 to the appropriate personnel.

The subroutine 1000 proceeds by signaling the power connect switch 206to open at block 1045, and remains at block 1050 until the operationalcondition of the power connect switch 206 is verified via appropriatesensors, contact switches, etc., to be open. The subroutine 1000 thensignals the ground switch 210 to close at block 1055, and remains atblock 1060 until the operational condition of the ground switch 210 isverified via appropriate sensors, contact switches, etc., to be closed.Next, the subroutine 1000 proceeds to block 1070, where the programmodule 318 notifies the operator to rack out the circuit breaker 150Band disconnect the power and neutral cables from the vessel V.

The principles, representative embodiments, and modes of operation ofthe present disclosure have been described in the foregoing description.However, aspects of the present disclosure which are intended to beprotected are not to be construed as limited to the particularembodiments disclosed. Further, the embodiments described herein are tobe regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. It will beappreciated that variations and changes may be made by others, andequivalents employed, without departing from the spirit of the presentdisclosure. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that all suchvariations, changes, and equivalents fall within the spirit and scope ofthe claimed subject matter.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A shore power system for supplying power to a vessel, comprising: a primary switchgear adapted to be connected to a source of power, the primary switchgear having one or more power characteristic measuring devices; a secondary switchgear having one or more power characteristic measuring devices; a power transformer having a primary side and a secondary side, the primary side having a power input and the secondary side having first and second power outputs, wherein the power transformer is configured to receive power from the primary switchgear at a selected voltage and to output power to the secondary switchgear at first and second voltages that are lower than the selected voltage; a controlling device that is programmed for automating and/or controlling the delivery of power to the vessel from the source of power.
 2. The shore power system of claim 1, wherein the power transformer further includes a load tap changer at the primary side, the load tap changer configured to adjust the first and second voltages outputted by the secondary side.
 3. The shore power system of claim 2, wherein the controlling device is programmed to receive one or more signals indicative of a characteristic of the first or second voltage, and based on the received one or more signals, transmitting one or more control signals to the load tap changer so that the load tap changer adjusts the first and/or second voltages outputted by the secondary side.
 4. The shore power system of claim 1, further comprising a power factor circuit and a power factor determination section, wherein the power factor determination section is configured to measure a reactive power supplied to the vessel and wherein the controlling device is programmed to control the power factor circuit based on a measured reactive power from the power factor determination section and real power from the one or more power characteristic measuring devices of the primary switchgear.
 5. The shore power system of claim 4, wherein the power factor circuit includes circuitry that changes the reactance of the power being supplied to the vessel.
 6. The shore power system of claim 5, wherein the controlling device monitors the real power from the one or more power characteristic measuring devices of the primary switchgear and the reactive power supplied to the vessel from the power factor determination section, and dynamically adjusts the reactance of the power via the power factor circuit so as to maintain a preselected power factor for supplying power to the vessel.
 7. The shore power system of claims 1, further comprising a neutral resistor section that is configured for changing the neutral resistance value of the secondary switchgear.
 8. The shore power system of claim 7, wherein the controlling device is programmed to control the neutral resistor section based on obtained vessel power characteristic data.
 9. The shore power system of claim 1, further comprising a grounding switch section that comprises a power connect switch that selectively controls the delivery of power to the vessel and a ground switch that selectively grounds the power supplied by the secondary switchgear.
 10. The shore power system of claim 1, further comprising a vessel connection assembly that supplies power from the secondary switchgear to the vessel, wherein the vessel connection assembly includes a power section, a neutral section, and a control section, wherein the control section communicates with the vessel and transmits information received from the vessel to the controlling device.
 11. The shore power system of claim 1, wherein the controlling device is programmed to select either the first or second voltages outputted by the first and second outputs, respectively, and wherein the selection is based on obtained vessel power characteristic data.
 12. The shore power system of claim 1, wherein the controlling device programmed to (1) determine whether the system is ready to connect to the vessel; (2) assist in connecting the system to the vessel; (3) monitor the connection session between the system and the vessel; and (4) assist in disconnecting the system from the vessel.
 13. A method for automating the supply of power from a shore power system to a vessel, comprising: obtaining vessel characteristic data; receiving a vessel connection command to connect the shore power system to the vessel; verifying connection parameters between the vessel and the shore power system are complete; obtaining permission from the vessel to begin the supply of power; thereafter supplying power to the vessel; monitoring the supply of power to the vessel, wherein verifying connection parameters between the vessel and a shore power system are complete includes determining if the system is grounded and determining if one or more vessel connection cables are properly connected to the vessel.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein verifying connection parameters between the vessel and the shore power system are complete further includes transmitting control signals that close a ground switch if it is determined that the system is not grounded.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein verifying connection parameters between the vessel and the shore power system are complete further includes if it is determined that the shore power system is grounded and the vessel connection cable is properly connected to the vessel then transmitting control signals to open the ground switch and to close a power connect switch.
 16. The method of claim 13, wherein monitoring the supply of power to the vessel includes monitoring a power factor of the power being supplied to the vessel; and selecting one or more neutral resistors for substantially matching a neutral resistance value obtained with the vessel characteristic data.
 17. The method of claim 13, wherein supplying power to the vessel includes selecting the first or second output of a dual power transformer based on the obtained vessel characteristic data.
 18. A method of supplying power from a shore power system to a vessel, the shore power system having a dual output transformer, the method comprising: selecting the first or second output of the dual output power transformer based on obtained vessel characteristic data, monitoring a power factor of the power being supplied to the vessel; and selecting one or more neutral resistors for substantially matching a neutral resistance value obtained with the vessel characteristic data.
 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising monitoring operating parameters of the shore power system. 